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sound card yo

E

eli

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Apr 30, 2003
Messages
1,648
I am getting a new soundcard for stereo use only. I am not sure which one I am going to get, either the M-audio 2496 audiophile, or the creative emu 0404. I want to use it with my speakers and my headphones...how would I go about doing this? also, it doesn't look like either of these cards has a direct place to plug in either my speakers or my headphones, how do i hook them up? im planning on getting a headphone amp because people say the sound card can only run high impedence headphones well, but why would a heaphone amp help this?

also...where would i get a wooden headphone stand?

thanks
 
The 0404 is generally regarded as a better source then the 2496.

For the 0404, you need a 1/4 male mono to 1/8 (or 1/4) female stereo converter.

You will benefit most with a headphone amp with either solution. Since you are considering an amp, you will probably need to convert to RCA (using a cable) between the amp and the soundcard.

Many people use banana hangers as headphone stands. Maybe IKEA?

Edit: Have you tried head-fi? Some of us are already over there and you will get responses faster :cool:
 
I have an acount there. but it wont let me post anywhere for some reason
 
i have an acount at headfi, but for some reason it wont let me post. anyhow...is this what i would need between the amp and the card?

http://www.djmart.com/rcafemto18mi.html

edit: also, why is it that the emu 0404 can run really high impedence stuff reletively well, but it can't run low impedence stuff very well at all? shouldn't it be the other way around? why would an amp help this?
 
can you give me links the cables that I will need? i am having a hard time picturing this...thanks
 
thats cool, thanks. from what it looks like I would need something like a 1/4 to RCA for the amp i am using. but why would an amp help the emu's poor ability to drive low impedence headphones? wouldn't it just make it worse?
 
Since the emu is line level output, it will have trouble supplying enough current to low impedence headphones, resulting in clipping.

Low impedence = has current trouble
High impedence = has voltage trouble
 
but why would an amp help the emu's poor ability to drive low impedence headphones?
Click to expand...
We all know that audio products have names that are audiophile friendly right?
OK so let's apply that here.
An amplifier amplifies.
It's job is to take a low level signal and make it more powerful.
Lets add the other word and see what we get.
Headphone amplifier.
Even audiophile's can figure this one out right?
We know the amplifier can take a low level signal and make it more powerful but the key word was headphone ... so we can assume this is a product that is designed and built to amplify the low level signals from the soundcard with the express purpose of driving headphones.
Lets try one more example to demonstrate the audiophile naming convention OK?
Passive preamp.
Passive cause is has no power cord and it does not amplify the signal.
Preamp or pre amplifier cause it goes between the source and the amplifier.
It's job is simple.
If you look at one you might notice they have some switches and they usually have a big knob.
Turn the knob to the right and it everything gets louder.
Flip a switch and it selects a different device as the source.
Wait.... It's a source selector and a volume controller ... damn the audiophile naming convention. :rolleyes:
Wanna guess what they call it when they combine a preamp and an amp?
Integrated amplifier.
WOOT
One down one to go.

wouldn't it just make it worse?
Click to expand...
Nope.
The first passive component in an amplifier is usually a potentiometer (AKA volume control) ... it is nothing more then a glorified adjustable voltage divider that takes the low level signal from the soundcard and lowers it even more.
By reducing the signal and then amplifying it again we effectively lowered the noise floor ... we also gained a way to control to volume but that was a given.
Granted this is overly simplified because there are other components after the pot that reduce the signal even more but it demonstrates how it works.

So we know that our our Headphone amplifier has a volume control right?
What happens if we add a source selector switch to it?
Hmmm.. would audiophiles call that a integrated headphone amplifier?
You betcha. :D

Heh, sorry been burning the candle at both ends a little to much lately. :D
 
Mister X said:
Heh, sorry been burning the candle at both ends a little to much lately. :D
Click to expand...

That's for sure, I have no idea of what you're babbling on about :D
 
What's new about that? :D

I suppose it's a good thing I left out the whole dampening thing then.
 
X:

You should write the whole FAQ for the audio section like that, in a nice condescending tone =]
 
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